Source: Elena Elisseeva / Getty
You might be surprised at how much lying goes on at work, with national workplace expert Lynn Taylor telling Business Insider, “Lying in the office is a pandemic.” But most of those lies tend to be more minor “white lies,” with Taylor explaining: “We bend the truth to make life easier. In many cases, we rationalize them as protecting others, thinking ‘it’ll keep the peace’ or ‘it’s something everyone does.’ But mostly lies are told because they’re convenient and often a cover up.” It can be hard to tell if someone is lying, so to help spot it, Taylor shared some of the most common white lies people tell in the office:
- “That wasn’t my fault.”
- “I have to leave work early for a [fill in the blank] appointment.”
- “It’s my first priority.”
- “The account is looking good.”
- “That was my idea!”
- “I need it yesterday.”
- “I can have it done by tomorrow!”
